The University of Virginia’s dean of students testified Wednesday that he predicted a since-retracted Rolling Stone magazine story about campus rape would be a gotcha piece even before it was published.

“In my opinion, it was a hatchet job!” Allen Groves said at the Rolling Stone defamation trial in Charlottesville, Va.

Former university dean of students Nicole Eramo is suing Rolling Stone for $7.85 million, claiming the 2014 story depicted her as turning a blind eye to allegations made by a student, identified only as Jackie, who alleged she was gang-raped by seven Phi Kappa Psi fraternity members.

Groves described how difficult it was to launch an investigation into Jackie’s allegations after she spoke to Eramo, given that the student claimed not to remember the full name of the fraternity house where she was allegedly raped.

She also refused to give the school key names.

“I was angry that Jackie wouldn’t give us any names . . . it’s as frustrated as I’ve ever been in this job,” he said.